Over 160 Worshippers Kidnapped in Coordinated Church Attacks in Kaduna

By Tgnews Reporter

Armed gunmen stormed multiple churches during Sunday services in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, abducting a staggering number of worshippers in what authorities and church leaders describe as one of the most brazen attacks on religious gatherings in recent memory.

According to Kaduna State Police Command, heavily armed bandits wielding sophisticated weapons attacked two churches around 11:25 a.m. on Sunday, snatching dozens of innocent civilians mid-service. Initial police reports confirmed “dozens” abducted, but the figure has risen sharply as more details emerge.

Reverend John Hayab, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the northern region, told reporters that 172 worshippers were initially taken hostage. While nine have since escaped or been released, 163 people; including women, children, and elderly congregants remain in captivity as of Monday evening.

A state lawmaker representing the Kajuru area, Usman Danlami Stingo, provided an even more alarming account to the Associated Press, stating that gunmen simultaneously targeted three separate churches: the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), a Cherubim and Seraphim branch, and a Catholic church. He reported 177 people missing initially, with 11 later returning, leaving 168 still unaccounted for.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of terror as gunmen opened fire to create panic before herding victims into nearby forests — a tactic commonly used by bandits operating in the region.

No group has claimed responsibility, but the attacks bear the hallmarks of the kidnapping-for-ransom syndicates that have plagued Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, and neighboring states for years.

Community leaders and residents have expressed outrage and despair, calling on federal and state authorities to intensify rescue operations and deploy more troops to vulnerable rural areas. “Our people went to worship God in peace, and now entire families are shattered,” one local resident told journalists anonymously. “How many more must be taken before decisive action is taken?”

As search and rescue efforts continue, families of the victims are holding prayer vigils, pleading for the safe return of their loved ones. The federal government has yet to issue an official statement on the incident, but pressure is mounting for urgent intervention.